A new research project led by the University of Canberra, with support from the University of Southern Queensland and funding from the Gardiner Foundation, aims to help regional leaders integrate wellbeing into decision-making processes.

The Regional Wellbeing Project will work with three Victorian communities—Gannawarra Shire, Greater Shepparton City Council, and the Stratford Community Association (Wellington Shire)—to develop localised wellbeing frameworks tailored to their specific needs.

Lead researcher on the project, the University of Canberra’s Dr Jacki Schirmer, says research has shown that a community’s ability to thrive depends on more than economic factors.

“Wherever you live, factors like having access to quality housing, a healthy environment, access to essential services, affordable living costs, good social connections and recreational opportunities all contribute to a high quality of life,” Dr Schirmer says.

“In regional communities, we also need to make sure we consider factors such as availability of services, and how resilient communities are to drought, bushfire, floods and other events – things that sometimes aren’t considered in wellbeing frameworks for big cities.”

“The new project will provide rural leaders with the tools and resources to measure and enhance wellbeing in their communities. It is about putting wellbeing at the centre of regional decision-making. By working closely with communities, we can develop practical tools that help leaders understand and respond to the wellbeing needs of their residents,” Dr Schirmer says.

The Regional Wellbeing Project will equip community leaders with tools to measure and act on wellbeing indicators specific to their region. It aims to deliver several key resources, including:

  • Regional Wellbeing Monitoring Hub – An online platform providing data and resources to track and interpret wellbeing indicators.
  • Local Wellbeing Frameworks – Bespoke frameworks co-developed with the three pilot communities. Lessons learned from this process will inform the design of the project’s monitoring hub, toolkit and other resources.
  • Wellbeing Dashboard Toolkit – A tool designed to help communities build their own wellbeing dashboards with relevant indicators.
  • Wellbeing Leadership Program – A capacity-building initiative to support rural leaders in making decisions informed by wellbeing data.

In response to significant interest from other communities, the project team will also establish a ‘Community of Practice.’ This initiative, run by the University of Canberra’s Regional Wellbeing team, will allow regional leaders from across Australia to follow the project’s progress, access expert insights, and apply learnings to their own communities.

Gardiner Foundation CEO Allan Cameron says the project is a crucial step toward fostering resilient rural communities.

“Investing in wellbeing is essential for the long-term success of regional areas. By equipping local leaders with the knowledge and tools to monitor and improve wellbeing, this project aims to achieve sustainable growth in rural Victoria and beyond,” Allan says.

The initiative represents a major shift in how regional wellbeing is approached, ensuring communities have access to both the data and the leadership support needed to make informed decisions.

To learn more about the project, visit: https://www.regionalwellbeing.org.au/building-wellbeing-into-regional-decision-making/

To become part of the Community of Practice, please contact Dr Kim Houghton: kim.houghton@canberra.edu.au